Kara Goucher: Olympic effort

Kara Goucher, training in Portland

After photographing an athlete, a musician, a chef or anyone doing anything, really, I simply want to see them succeed.

I love running and admire what long distance runners go through. So I could barely contain my excitement when I told my wife I was going to go spend the morning with Kara Goucher for a Minneapolis Star Tribune story. I was to meet her and her fellow Olympics-bound training partner Shalane Flanagan at the track just over the river. Two of the best marathoners in the country, just hanging out, running.

I wasn’t the only one slightly star struck. An older fellow walking laps around the track that morning waved me over. He knew everything about Kara’s running record. He asked how old her baby was now. He told me he’d be watching every minute of the Olympic marathon.

And so I hoped and hoped for Kara and Shalane that medals would be won at the Olympics in London. They ran through Portland-like and pushed through muscle cramps. In an Oregonian story, Kara said she hadn’t felt that kind of pain since she had a baby. To power through that pain and hang in there for 26.2 miles finishing just three minutes behind the winner and taking 11th place is still an amazing, inspiring feat.